The Fashion Statement: For Sex or Abstinence?
Filed under: The Fashion Statement
Designers are in the midst of a heated argument at Milan fashion week-whether one should dress for sex or dress for abstinence in a global recession. Seems a fitting debate in a country where the famously womanizing Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Pope Benedict XVI are its two most powerful leaders
On the celibate team sits Miuccia Prada, who practices restraint on a regular basis (well, by Italian standards). She further reigned in her collection (well, by Prada standards) to include charcoal knee-length walking shorts, Fifties-style swimwear and demure day dresses. The ever quirky Marni showed knee-length shorts and paired them with thick-strapped shoes with thick soles worn with beige ankle socks (I can hear my boyfriend's protests now). Roberto Cavalli went AWOL from his I'm-too-sexy position in the marketplace, putting out modest peasant dresses with hems stopping mid-calf.
Then again, sex sells. Versace stayed true to form. Sex, sex and more sex with Donatella's brand of cigarettes afterward, thank you. Slits cut up to there. Necklines cut down to there. Cut-outs revealing erogenous zones. Towering stilettos. Short, short, short. (Definitely more my boyfriend's speed, I'm guessing.)
The oversized bag trend is one that many love and I'm sure many people hate. I love the trend because I just love big bags. As a working mom who is juggling all sorts of responsibilities and being prepared for the infinite amounts of "just-in-case" moments, a large bag is great solution. Of course a canvas tote or a backpack could be just as useful and more practical, but being a working mom who is obsessed with handbags, I look for bags that satisfy all my needs. The Marni Balloon Bag does just that. Made from goatskin, it has an extra roomy interior with two interior pockets, a lengthy shoulder strap and double handles. The deep and rich brick orange color makes the Balloon bag perfect for any season. Also available in cypress (dark green). Measurements: 19.5 x 6.6 x 13.7 inches. 
Daphne Guiness,socialite and couture collector, has decided to jump on the bandwagon and perform her own spring cleaning in her closet -- except
Even those metallic kids' balloons don't look as shiny as the Marni Balloon Bag, reported to be one of the hottest new bags of the season. Fortunately, the bag is made of red patent leather, not anything actually metallic. It has small top handles in smooth tan leather, as well as leather reinforcements at the bottom corners of the bag. An adjustable shoulder strap makes the oversized tote easy to tuck under your arm. If you prefer a more understated look, even though the lipstick red is very appealing, the bag is also available in black, grey, cream, and saffron. Price: $1,620, at Marni boutiques.
